Shine Watches
by Sevy14
Summary: "I intend to wed you." - Jedediah Shine. Originally a short drabble but turning into a story about Jedediah Shine and OC Emmylyn. Ripper Street Charachter: JEDEDIAH SHINE *Labled OC because I have no other choice!
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Jedediah Shine or any other KNOWN Ripper Street characters that may appear in this. Please review and let me know what you think of this and if I should continue or not. Happy Reading. – Sevy14**

He was a cool customer. A man with words that shook the sturdy walls and quelled even the strongest of men. When he came, the air went out. No creak upon the floor could be heard and all the girls were suddenly occupied. In truth, he was alluring yet terrifying. Each one of us did our best to look away and not meet his gaze, for it was calculating, cool, cold, and gleeful. The smile upon his lips, more of a sneer, with naughty intentions lurking behind. Mother would put away her books and kindly show him around, as if he'd never been to our establishment before.

Often he lingered, never taking time to drink or smoke. He merely watched. One man in and another out, and so on. All night he could occupy the chair in the corner. A few times gentlemen would inquire, but we'd shake our heads, glancing in his direction before averting their attentions to our better qualities, and to the empty beds that lay waiting upstairs. In those moments he would smile a dark grin, it always sent chills up our spines.

The morn grew near and he'd rise. Our night done, we'd be readying ourselves for bed as he made his way up the stairs and past our rooms. Up and down the hall he'd go, stopping to look in every room. Our breath caught by fears tight grip. But on he'd go, lingering just a moment more at the door at the end of the hall before turning and leaving. Mother never said why he came. Mother never asked him for money or charged him any long standing fee. He'd come. He'd watch. He'd go.

**A/N: If people want more, I might be able to do some writing for this. Shine is such a fascinating character that I wish there were fanfiction for him. So if there's an audience, I may write more, I have some ideas. Let me know. This was just a little drabble that popped into my skull. - Sevy14**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello all, thank you for your reviews, I appreciate it. I apologize for the length of time between the original posting and this, graduate school was a terrible monster but I have completed that and can now get back to writing/updating on a more regular basis. I decided that I liked Det. Insp. Shine so much that I was going to continue this story. I think I've figured out a way to make this work and I hope you like it. Enjoy! – Sevy14**

**A/N: Again, I do not own any of the Ripper Street characters.**

* * *

**Revelations**

I had risen just as I had on the day before. Creeping along the wooden floors I made my way to the kitchen, not wanting to disturb Mother and Fathers girls. I always received a smack for waking them after they had a night of prosperous prostitution. It irked me how it seemed that they cared more for their working girls than their own, but I did not have to turn tricks as they did to live here, so I did not let my resentment be known. The sun was coming in through the curtained windows, seeping out beneath them. Turning, Mother gave me a once over and then went back to cooking, Father sat, paper held high, pretending that neither of us existed.

"Mother. Father." I said, greeting them as I came to stand just inside the door.

"Emmylyn, dear," Mother said, her voice softer than normal, "Why don't you sit, breakfast will be served in a moment."

Typically, I am to set the table, but it has already been done. "Yes Mother." I say, giving her back a curious once over. Moving across the space to sit to Father's right I look up and catch him looking at me, the paper lowered. "Good morning." I say, quietly holding his gaze.

"Emmy." He grunted. His eyes didn't leave mine and I struggled to stay still, the two of us rarely interacted. My Father was more a stranger to me than anything else. "I uh…," his voice cut off as cleared his throat and I stared at him, "I would like you to accompany me on my errands today."

Confused, I nodded. "Yes Sir." He nodded at me and then his eyes flicked behind me, to where Mother was and then back before he raised the paper back up, blocking my sight of him.

"Here you go dear." Mother said, putting a plate of sausage, eggs, toast, beans and a glass of milk before me.

"I-Thank you." I said, unaccustomed to being served first and not used to my Father saying more than two words to me a day. Turning I watched as she filled Fathers plate and then one for herself, before setting one before him and sitting down. With her at the table Father dropped the paper onto the table and picked up his fork and knife. I watched him and her, unsure of what to do, of what was going on.

"Eat Emmy." He said. "We leave after breakfast." As spoke, he sliced apart the sausage, the juices spilling out across the plate.

"Okay." I said, softly. Picking up my utensils I dug into my meal, doing all that I could to avoid looking at either one of them again. My stomach was in knots, even as I ate. Breaking the silence Mother spoke.

"That is a nice dress Emmylyn." Her voice while soft and maybe sad, rang in my ears loud, like the horn at the factory horn signally the end of the day.

Swallowing a bite of egg with a sip of milk I responded, "Thank you Mother." She nodded, taking another bite of her toast. I ventured to ask about today, not to anyone in particular, but praying that I wouldn't be reprimanded for my curiosity. "Are we all going on errands together today?" I look down and cut at my sausage, hoping to not make eye contact with either of them.

Answer briskly, "No. Just you and I." Father said. I noticed that while I nodded at him, his hands had stilled and our eyes, try as I might, made contact. There it goes again, my stomach full of food, flip-flopping.

The rest of the meal was in silence. Mother kept looking at Father and then back at me, her face one of worry, like when one of her girls strikes a customer and Mother tells Father about the trespass and loss of money and potentially clientele. Fathers eyes did not give away his thoughts or his feelings, which was nothing new. For many years I wondered unsure if he could show anything other than anger because his face was always neutral and unreadable. Father finishes his meal and rises, departing the room without another look in our direction. I make to say something as Mother and I also finish our meals and begin to clear the table but she beats me to it, speaking gently, a hand upon my arm.

"It's okay dear, I will clean up today." A pause and a sad look at me, and then her face goes back to stone with a deep sigh. "Go get your coat Emmylyn, your Father will be waiting." She says, her back to me now. I nod, even though she can't see it, confused and a little worried about what the day will hold for me after this mornings stranger breakfast.

On my way back to my room, Father is in the hall, waiting. "Once you're ready, we go." He says, his voice flat.

Nodding, "Yes Sir." I quicken my pace and retrieve my coat and gloves from my room and meet him in the hall. I notice him look me up and down, like he does to the girls. My tight stomach twists again. I follow him down the hall and through the front hall and out the door.

I follow Father into the coach and sit, looking out the window. Unaccustomed to our proximity I can't help but feel uncomfortable and worried. As we pull away, I see Mother in the window watching, she looks sad. "Why is Mother sad? Did someone die?" I ask, not looking at Father. He clears his throat but says nothing. I open my mouth to repeat myself but stop as I look over at him. His look is just short of piercing. I blink, unable to tear my eyes away.

His face falters momentarily, but returns to stone. "No Emmy, no one has died." I nod, as if he has answered my question, our eyes still locked. He sighs, "I… Today is a big day for you." I don't say anything in response, not that I knew what to say, it wasn't my birthday or a holiday, what could today be? He continues on, "We will be meeting Detective Inspector Shine."

I nod, "Oh… Okay." I say. Unsure as to why that means it is a big day for me. Everyone knew who Detective Inspector Shine was. In these parts he was God. I was sure he had been in before, but I couldn't recall ever meeting him. I opted to not continue asking him questions about today and looked out the window. But from the corner of my eye I could see his eyes lingering on me before looking away as well. Our ride slowed to a stop and I made to get out.

"No Emmylyn." Father said putting his arm out to block my rising movement. I sat back and nodded. He exited the carriage and disappeared into a building. Through the window, I strained to see what shop he was at and who he was talking to but the curtain was shut almost instantly. I sat back and stared out the window watching as shoppers moved past. Minutes later the door to the carriage opened and he stepped in, not giving me a look or speaking a word. Once seated, he knocked the roof and the carriage moved on. I kept my eyes trained on the world passing slowly by until we stopped. I looked over at him, his mouth set in a line he nodded, rising. "Come along."

Following him out, I stepped down into the light, the smell of Chinatown was strong in my nose. I looked over at Father but he shook his head before indicating that we walk. Moving forward through the stalls I looked at the linens, ducks and chickens, pigs, and goods for sale, all while acutely aware of Fathers hand on the small of my back. I longed to ask him what was the cause of this outing, why was today a big day and what were we doing in Chinatown. I had never been allowed to come here, not even accompanied, so it was odd that this is where we were now. The stalls were lined from end to end and like their merchandise laid out for sale, the stalls too went as far as I could see. I stopped to look at some figurines, the merchant observed me carefully while I picked them up and looked them over.

My attention was drawn from the figurines when a voice reached out through the din of the crowd. "Joseph! Good to see you old pal."

I watched as Father shook the mans hand, speaking as he did so. "Jedediah, hello!" I stood there awkwardly staring at the men. I realized that this Jedediah had to be Detective Inspector Jedediah Shine. My back started to tingle and the tenseness of my stomach intensified when Father turned, a hand in my direction. "This is my daughter, Emmylyn."

I offer a slight nod and say quietly, "Hello, Sir."

"Good morning Emmylyn, Detective Inspector Shine." He says, his face morphing into pleasant features and not the feigned niceness that greeted my Father. I wanted to shrink back, he seemed to take up the space about us. "But my friends," he says, nodding in my Fathers direction, call me Jedediah."

I nod, smiling, unsure as to what to say. I stand there, looking at him and then back at my Father. To say I was uncomfortable would be an understatement. Obviously sensing this Father speaks, "Jedediah worked in the Orient before coming back to London. Isn't that interesting Emmy?"

Again I nod. "Yes, that must have been quite the experience."

I watch as a grin slides across his features. "It was. Perhaps some time you will permit me to tell about it." His eyes are sharp, watching me.

I shrug and look at Father and then back, "Something tells me that you will have the opportunity, Sir." At this his grin is matched with an eyebrow and a glance at my Father who offers me a look. Shrugging, "Perhaps there is somewhere we can sit?" I ask looking inquiringly at Detective Inspector Shine and my Father.

Detective Inspector Shine nodded and turned, saying something in a language I didn't understand to a woman behind our group. While he did this I looked at Father, his gaze was sharp but also, something else was there behind the sharpness. His eyes, matched Shine's, they were hunters, not to be messed with and they left me feeling uneasy. This whole day was uncomfortable. My eyes snapped back to Shine's face when he turned back to us. "This way." He turned and led us through the back of a stall. I took in the back of the stall, eyes watching me as we passed by the backs of multiple stalls before we came out in a quiet area, set apart with a few tables.

Detective Inspector Shine pulled out a chair and looked at me expectantly. My stomach tightened but I sat down into it as he pushed it in. My Father, watched and then sat himself at the same time that Shine did. A woman brought out cups and poured tea and disappeared as soon as she had arrived. My eyes followed her departure, I longed for another to be here, to help take away my unease. "From the Orient." Detective Inspector Shine said.

I nodded and picked up the cup, sipping it, aware that their eyes were on me. It was warm as it slid down my throat, heating my stomach as it settled. "Quite nice." I say and offer a small, polite smile in his direction.

He nodded at me and then looked at Father. "I heard you were looking for George Bleck." Father looked in my direction, mouth slightly, ajar before answering.

"Yes." He put his cup down and clearing his throat. "He roughed up one of our girls and skipped out on payment, by way of jumping out the window." I listened intently. Never before have I been allowed to be present while Father talked business. Father gave me a look and if Shine noticed, he didn't let on.

"Well, from what my sources have informed me he will be coming by the stall just on the other side of that…," he pointed at the back of a stall fifteen feet away, "…stall. Perhaps you would like to have a word with him?"

Father gave me a look and I was curiously looking back and forth between the two men. "Perhaps. But I typically do not like to conduct or talk business in front of Emmlyn." Detective Inspector Shine doesn't look my way and Father clears his throat, again. "Perhaps you would be courteous enough to remain with her while I speak with Mr. Bleck?" As he said this he did not look at me, but his jaw was taught, it seemed he did not enjoy this suggestion.

"Of course, Joseph, she is in good hands." He said, that sly grin of his was back. I realize now though, that it wasn't sly, it was smug.

Father nodded and looked at me. "I will be back shortly, Emmy." I look at him, realizing why Father had been uncomfortable with his suggestion and also why Shine had been so smug. "Emmy?"

Saying my name again jars me from my thoughts, "Okay Father." I give him a small smile. He offers me one more look and then one to Shine before rising and heading towards the stall pointed out by Shine. I watch him before turning my gaze to Detective Inspector Shine to see that he is watching me. The air sits between us, the warmth of our tea coiling up, dancing upon the coolness of the air. "So…" I start but he cuts me off with a sharp look. His look shocked me momentarily before I realize the woman from before is back with soup. She sets the bowls down in front of us, saying something to Shine before turning after he responds. and leaving.

"You were saying." He says. His deep voice ripples over and through me.

I look at him for a second before starting again. "So my Father he…uh… He owes you money?" I ask. Shine looks taken aback by my question before he chuckles and shakes his head slightly and sips some of his soup. He sits up and looks at me, expectantly. I follow his lead and sip my soup as well, giving a small smile as I put my spoon down. I offer him an expectant look.

"Yes. He does." Shine says, sipping some more soup and looking at me.

It seemed strange, this man sitting so calmly and so normally eating and conversing. From everything people say about the man, this is far from what I imagined Detective Inspector Shine to be like. "Am I the payment?" I say, spitting the last word out.

At this Shine raises his eyebrows at me and one side of his mouth rises. "Payment, Emmylyn?"

I disregard that he used my name with such casualness. Nodding, "Yes, everyone knows my Father gambles… Badly. Why else would I be here?" I say hotly. "My Father trades women he deems used up like those merchants do rice. It is not hard to put the puzzle together, Sir." He looks at me, not answering and when he doesn't answer right away I feel myself wanting to fidget. But I don't. "One less mouth to feed, which means more money to gamble with." Again, Shine doesn't answer right away and looks at me. His calculating eyes search me and I feel the minute bravado I just displayed dissipate and I look down at my soup and pick up the spoon, taking a sip.

Sniffing and looking at his hands, he looks back at me, "You are not… Payment." I give him a look, confused and disbelieving. "More of an investment, if you will, for me." He says.

I couldn't tell what that meant and I give him a confused look before answering. "What does that mean?" I sit back, crossing my arms.

"You are sharp, aren't you Emmylyn?" He asks. Taken aback by his question I don't answer. "You put together what may be going on without being given any hints." Still, I don't answer. "He mentioned you were sharp."

At this I huff slightly, as if he'd been around me enough to know that. "Investment? What does that mean Detective Inspector Shine?" My arms still crossed I wrap them tighter around myself, as if they're actually comforting me.

"You have heard some gossip about me recently." He says. Shrugging, I look away for a second and then back, but provide no verbal answer. "Your Father did not sell you as a working girl…" he pauses giving me a once over. "I intend to wed you."

I give him a sharp look of my own, which turned to shock. "Wha-?" My mouth fell open, that had not been what I thought I'd hear. Shine looked at me, watching my face as I take in what he just told me. "I…" I didn't know what to say so I just looked at him.

"This is the trade Emmylyn." He says.

Looking at him, "How can being in debt mean that I am traded like cattle, Detective Inspector?"

"Jedediah." He responds. Looking at him but not following. "You may call me Jedediah, Emmylyn." I nod. "He does not owe me money, but another. That individual would much rather collect you as payment of his debt." I furrow my brow a bit but before I can answer he continues. "Do you follow?"

I nod. "Yes, this other person would rather have me because he can sell my body. Yes I follow." He doesn't respond. "This is better?" I question, not seeing how. This is a different kind of servitude. I pick up my spoon and take a sip of my soup.

Cocking his head, "Well you wouldn't be forced to become a whore. I assume, as your Father did, that this is not what you want." He arches an eyebrow and then too eats some more of his soup.

I think that knowing what I want would mean that would have had to interact with me, something he did not do. Of course I don't want to be a whore, but then again, I had no intention of marrying a stranger, popping out babies, and living a boring life of a housewife. "A wife would start to rebuild how you're seen." I state after a minute of silence.

Nodding, "Quite right Emmylyn."

With my soup gone, I sit back and look at him. While not bad looking he was quite a bit older than I. "I will be twenty one years in March."

He nods. "Yes, I am aware." He gives no other indication about what he knows about me or how. But I assume my Father has told him all.

"I have had no intention to marry." After a pause, "Or have children." I shake my head.

"At your age Emmylyn, typically a woman would be a widow or single unwed mother, but you are none of those. I had assumed both." I sit back, somewhat annoyed that he seemed to know or anticipate all my answers and feelings. "What did you want to do?" He asks.

Shrugging, "I like puzzles." I answer. "Mysteries. Reading and writing." I say, but don't offer anything else. I look at him before a noise captures our attention.

"It seems your Father has found his man." Shine says. I look over towards the noise, concerned. "We should remain here. It is what he wanted." Shine says, again, wearing that smug face.

"This has already been agreed upon." I say. It isn't really a question.

Shine nods. "Yes, it has." When the silence stretches between us he continues, "This benefits both of us."

I look at him. "You more than me, though." He doesn't answer and I look away. Suddenly feeling too alone with this man, in a situation I have no control over and with no way out.

* * *

**Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know what you think. Happy reading! **

**-Sevy14**


End file.
